CHAPTER 4. DISORDERS OF LEARNING
it was estimated to affect 39
million people worldwide,
three-quarters of whom are
male. ADHD is not strictly
considered a learning disorder.
However, research shows
that 20–25% of children with
the condition have coexisting
learning disabilities in
reading, spelling or maths.
Young children or teenagers
with ADHD typically are
hyperactive and have trouble
paying attention and controlling
their impulses. Researchers
believe the condition results
from a mix of genetic,
environmental and neurological
factors. Studies using magnetic
resonance imaging (MRI)
have identified several brain
regions that differ in people
with ADHD. These include the
frontal lobe, which is important
for executive functions such
as planning and controlling
attention, as well as regions
involved in motor activity.
ADHD appears to run in
families. Close, or first-degree,
relatives of people with ADHD
are far more likely to also
have the disorder, with the
risk for siblings being two-to-
three times as great as those
of siblings without ADHD.
The condition is treated with
either, or both, behavioural
therapy or specific drugs. There
remains significant debate
and controversy over both the
diagnosis and management of
ADHD, complicating studies
on its effect on learning.
Many medical conditions affect the health of the brain and therefore its ability to learn. This includes conditions
present before birth, genetic disorders, or diseases or injuries acquired throughout life. The effects can be
temporary: concussion, for example, results when the brain knocks against the inside of the skull, causing short-
term symptoms including memory loss and difficulty concentrating. Hearing or speech language impairments,
particularly if unrecognised, may affect communication in the classroom. Other conditions, including Alzheimer’s
disease, affect the brain areas crucial to learning and cause irreversible damage.
OTHER
CONDITIONS
AFFECTING
LEARNING
AND MEMORY
DID YOU
KNOW?
As of 2013, ADHD was estimated to affect 39 million
people worldwide, three-quarters of whom are male.